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Students get X-cited for Shootout

Newswire archive photo | The campout for the Crosstown Shootout was cancelled because of finals week in 2015, so it will be a new experience for students attending the game this year. Xavier has won 14 of the last 20 meetings in the series.

This weekend, Xavier’s biggest rival, University of Cincinnati (UC), comes to campus for the annual Skyline Chili Crosstown Shootout.

UC currently leads the series 50-34 overall, but Xavier has won 14 of the last 20 games.
Xavier and UC have the least amount of distance between any two colleges in the country, with only 3.1 miles separating the two campuses.

This has led to both some memorable games and some games that will live in infamy, such as the “Crosstown Punch-Out” in 2011.

After the brawl that occurred during the 2011 game, the Shootout was held at neutral site US Bank Arena for two seasons before finally returning to UC in 2014 and then Xavier in 2015.

“Oh man. The Crosstown Shootout is huge. It’s like D-Day to World War II. I would do anything to make sure I’m at the game,” senior Matt Markham said. “I wasn’t in the Top 500 but was more than ready to buy a ticket through a tertiary site if I couldn’t get a student ticket. I did, though, and you can bet I’ll be standing all 40 minutes of that game.”
The Shootout is a huge event on campus and in Cincinnati, but there is a good portion of students who have yet to experience it. So what can be expected?

The Shootout won’t have the same feel other games do.

For most, the Shootout is a more electric atmosphere than most people will experience at a sporting event, and fans will maintain that electricity from the time they enter Cintas Center to the time they leave. When facing your biggest rival, the game is bound to be different. But this game is on another level.

The campout is a new experience for everyone.

Two years ago, the campout was cancelled because exams came the week after the game. Because of this, no one on campus has been able to take part in a campout, so don’t panic if you don’t know what’s going on—no one really does.

Enjoy the events leading up to the game.

Last time the shootout was on campus, the game took place in the late afternoon/early evening. This meant there was a lot of time spent alternating between holding a spot in line and going to get food, charging your phone, etc.

However, there were plenty of events that took place to keep students occupied.

People brought doughnuts, wristbands were handed out, a DJ played music and Chris Mack even took a selfie with people waiting in line.

It may seem like a long time to wait, but it’s an enjoyable time if you take advantage of the events happening around you.

The Shootout is a unique experience that students only get to take part in once or twice during their time at Xavier.

Take the time to enjoy it, because there won’t be another game like it.